Some friends and I are planning our first "winter" camping trip for this weekend 3/13 - 3/15. We would have liked to do our trip much earlier in the season but this was the first weekend we could align our schedules. With the unseasonably warm weather I am concerned about the safety of trekking over the lakes. Is ice thickness a concern given the weather? Are there any good trip options which do not require crossing lakes/rivers? Any other advice?

Thank you very much for your input.

Ice thickness can vary day to day, spot to spot, you stay clear of where the water you know is flowing most likely you will be fine till April typically. Bring a ice chisel to check thickness if in doubt.

I've been an Ice Rescue Instructor for 8 yrs and teach about 125 First responders each year. Ice thickness is just one factor in determining the safety of the ice. There was just an incident this past weekend where 3 men died out ice fishing. The ice was 4 inches thick which is the lower limit in thickness for walking on but they fell thru. Even though the ice may be the proper thickness or thicker if the ice is deteriorating and bad it will not support your weight. As Dan said you need to be careful of where currents are as river ice and places where there are current are 15% weaker. Also watch out for slush and water on the ice as it deteriorates the ice faster. Also just because it was safe to walk on an area in the AM be careful when walking on the same are in the PM as conditions can change and very fast. I've literally seen ice conditions change in as little as 10 minutes time due to pressure ridges and pressure keels forming.
So in short, Be safe out there. Be prepared with ice awls and some rescue rope to throw to someone that falls thru. Also don't bunch up as a group while out on the ice.

There is a lot of lake only trips and ice should be excellent.
The inlet outlets areas and especially rivers may and should be a no no. Use common sense.

It is cooler up there and just watch the weather this next week and see how it goes.

The biggest thing which is hard to do all the time is know your area.

The ice on lower Gunflint Trail lakes was still plenty of thick, but at least the lakes I was on, the slush was fairly widespread. As stated earlier, the moving water areas should be treated with a lot of respect. Some of the creeks and rivers were starting to open up or overflow.

Did you go on your trip this weekend or cancel out? If so how were the conditions for you?